I have bipolar 1 and PTSD.
Being bipolar means I have the ups (mania) and the downs (depression). I am feeling like a flat pancake this week. My mood is down but I wouldn’t say I am hopeless. I have been through this before and have strategies to deal with it and manage the symptoms.
What is bipolar depression?
Having sad, empty or hopeless feelings most of the time
Trouble sleeping at night or staying awake during the day
Often feeling worthless or guilty
Work, family and/or social life are suffering
Why am I flat or my mood depressed?
I haven’t talked to family in a while
I recently had a mild manic episode and this is the crash
What meds do I take?
I do take prescription meds. Abilify and Lamictal are mood stabilizers. I have taken them for three years and I have seen a decrease in my mood swings. BUT the symptoms are not taken away, I would say they are milder. I have stopped taking meds before, and the symptoms come back and are more severe. I wouldn’t recommend stopping your meds as cannabis doesn’t replace them.
How does cannabis help?
For this post I am focusing on depression although cannabis certainly helps my PTSD and anxiety.
“Cannabis is a temporary fix, it does not take away depression. BUT it does bump up my mood a bit, so I am not stuck in bed sleeping. It helps the creativity and energy level as well.” By BbqDad
If smoked, the effects of the cannabis last about an hour. I have also eaten cannabis brownies and while it takes an hour to feel any effects, once it kicks in it lasts for 8 hours. I try a combination of smoke for now and eat for later.
The positive mood boosting effects of cannabis are helping me write this blog. Otherwise, I would be lying down watching TV or asleep. I had no motivation whatsoever, until I took a hit.
Other strategies to help relieve depression
Besides meds (prescription and cannabis)
I get up and go outside. Getting outside also boosts mood. I can’t always do that however, as the weather has to cooperate and in Alaska it can be dark and gloomy most of the fall/winter.
Writing is a therapy for me too. I am happiest when I am writing, so getting a creative boost from cannabis is the jump start I needed to hit the keyboard.
While cannabis is not the answer to depression, it certainly makes the experience tolerable.